Complete Blood Count (CBC)
A focused test for Hemoglobin, WBC, Platelets and more.
Overview
Measures Hemoglobin, WBC, Platelets, RBC. A single-sample test processed at an NABL-accredited lab, with reports in 6 hours and a free doctor review.
The full panel
4 tests across 1 groupEvery parameter, grouped by body system — no clicking to expand.
What this test measures
The three cell lines in your blood, counted and sized by an automated analyser. Red cells and the haemoglobin inside them carry oxygen; white cells, split into neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils and basophils, fight infection; platelets clot. The red-cell indices (MCV, MCH, MCHC, RDW) describe the size and haemoglobin content of the average red cell, which is often more informative than the haemoglobin figure itself.
The CBC, also called a haemogram, is the most frequently ordered blood test in medicine because it is cheap, fast, and abnormal in a very wide range of conditions. It is ordered to investigate tiredness or breathlessness, to look for infection, to check for bleeding, before surgery, and to monitor treatments that suppress the bone marrow.
Symptoms that lead to this test
- Tiredness, breathlessness on exertion or unusual pallor
- Fever, or an infection that is not settling
- Easy bruising, bleeding gums or heavy periods
- Recurrent mouth ulcers or frequent infections
- Pre-operative assessment or routine health screening
Understanding your results
A low haemoglobin describes anaemia — a finding, not a diagnosis, since the cause could be iron deficiency, B12 or folate deficiency, blood loss, chronic disease or a haemoglobinopathy. The MCV is the first clue to which: a low MCV (small cells) commonly points towards iron deficiency or thalassaemia trait, a high MCV (large cells) towards B12 or folate deficiency, alcohol or thyroid disease. A raised white cell count with high neutrophils commonly suggests a bacterial infection or inflammation; a lymphocyte-predominant rise is more typical of viral illness; a raised eosinophil count is often seen with allergy or parasitic infection. Low platelets need repeating on a fresh sample before being acted on, because clumping in the tube is a common laboratory artefact. None of these patterns is a diagnosis on its own.
Indicative only. Reference ranges vary between laboratories and between testing methods, and shift with age, sex and pregnancy — always read your own result against the range printed on your own report, with the doctor who ordered it.
| Parameter | Indicative range | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Haemoglobin | 13.0–17.0 (men) · 12.0–15.0 (women) | g/dL |
| RBC count | 4.5–5.5 (men) · 3.8–4.8 (women) | million/µL |
| WBC count | 4,000–11,000 | /µL |
| Platelet count | 150,000–410,000 | /µL |
| PCV / haematocrit | 40–50 (men) · 36–46 (women) | % |
| MCV | 83–101 | fL |
| MCH | 27–32 | pg |
| RDW | 11.6–14.0 | % |
| Neutrophils | 40–80 | % |
| Lymphocytes | 20–40 | % |
| ESR | Below 15 (men) · below 20 (women) | mm/hr |
Why the preparation matters
No fasting is needed — food does not meaningfully change cell counts. Two things do: dehydration concentrates the blood and can lift haemoglobin and haematocrit by a few points, and vigorous exercise in the hours before the draw transiently raises the white cell count. If you are on chemotherapy or a marrow-suppressing drug, the timing within your cycle matters more than anything else and should follow your oncologist's schedule.
Who should consider this test
- Anyone with unexplained fatigue, pallor or breathlessness
- Women with heavy menstrual bleeding
- Children and adolescents in a growth phase, and pregnant women
- Anyone with a fever or infection under investigation
- Patients on medication that affects the bone marrow
Conditions it helps detect
How home collection works
Patient stories
96% recommend“The phlebotomist arrived exactly on time and was gentle. My report came in five hours with a doctor’s note.”
“Booked at night, sample collected next morning. The parameter breakdown is genuinely thorough.”
“Loved the free doctor review — she walked me through my vitamin D and thyroid results clearly.”